Signal-operating mechanism.



TQ-IGIBSQN, G. A. PAR-MBR' & B. REA.

SIGNAL OPERATING' MEQHANISM. i APPLIoATIoN FILED' MAY 29 ma l every given point, such as the posts along' a point of danger-or a THoivrAseIBsoN, GEORGE ALFRED EAEMEE, AND EDWARD READ, 0E, BURTON-UPON- TRENT, ENGLAND. 1

SIGNAL-OPERATING MEcHANrsivi.

T0 all whom 'it `may concern Be it known that we, THOMAS Griissoi` GEORGE 'ALFRED FARMER, and EDWARD READ, subjectsof the King of England; residing at Burton-upon-Trent, in t Stadordshire, England, have invented certain new an useful Improvements in Signal-Operating Mechanism; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled-in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates ing, ,and more especially to track instruments for actuating electric signals; an the object of the same is to produce a device of this character and employ a system whereby on the approach of a train toward l signal tower the engineer is notiiied whether there vis danger ahead or not. For instance, in the system illustrated herewith yhe is notified as he passes a block signal post (whose signal he to railway signalmay not be able to see on account of fog) s what the exact setting of that signal is at that moment.

A detail also useful in the system employed for carrying out-'our invention is achecking signal by which the operator in the nearest tower is automatically notified when the engine or train passes any and the yblock signal system.

Still another object ofthe invention resides in providing a movable track instrunient with improved pockets or .the like for -the reception of portions .thereof in certain positions of said instrument. .I Other details will appear in the following speciication and claims, and the entire device is shown in the accompanying Idrawings whereinl f Figure l is a plan view of the signal operating mechanism; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; and Fig. is Ia longitudinal section therethrough .as seen on the line 3-3 of Figl.

Inl describing the invention, we wish to refer .to the drawing in whichgsimilar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in wliicli--y y.

P designates a post of a., block signal disposed immediately adjacent a trackway, the

signal proper (not shown in they drawing) Specification of Letters Patent.

= Any one. y'the rails and slightly spaced from them as iii raised position being connected by a rod R with a Weighted M. The weightV by a pull on a chain or wire W which disposes the signal to its various positions. suitable type of actuating mechanism vmay be employed but the chain or vwire W will lead to a remote point which inthe present instance we may assume to be a tower rPatented Feb. 23, 1915.

Application aiedivray a9, 191s. sei-iai m7705211.

wherein is located an operator who controls the settingof the signal on the post. t

Comingnow'inore particularly to the details of the present invention, the numeral l designates what might be called a shoe which by preference consists of a piece of' T-iron having downturned ends 2 as shown,

and ih length it is sufficient to extend over from siX to 'twenty ties-those at the eX- tremities of the group spanned by it c'arrying metal pockets 3 into which the ends 2 of the shoes will drop so that no one can catch his foot beneath them. These memberswhich Y are termed pockets consist of strips or plates on which are formed or otherwise secured, casings or and increase in depth toward one end there-i of to form recesses or cavities. These cavities or recesses, as stated above, receive the downturned ends of the shoes therein when said shoes are in their lowermost positions with respect to the rail sections and in this sense, these devices maybe said .to be pockets. rThere are two such shoes, but as they' are duplicates we are #describing but They are by preference located inside seen inFig. 1, andthey stand about opposite each other and about opposite to thehpole P in the present illustration. Plates 5 secured beneath the extremities of certain ties carry` bearings G'in which are mounted rock shafts 7 extending across the track beneath its rails, and projecting rigidly from each shaft is an aim or a pair of arms 8 pivoted at 9 to one slice, 'standing at an angle to the first arm or pair and another arm or pair of arms 10 of arms and pivoted at 1l to the other shoe. Three of said shafts are shown in the n illustrated in Fig. 1, and as shown in Fig. 2 lthe upstanding arms l() support the' shoe 1 position. From this housings which open upwardly while the other arms 8- "support the opposite shoe f l iii lowered description of the parts device of the device, it will be understood that one of said shoes, in the position last mentioned,

is adapted to be engaged by a circuit closer ron a moving object on the trackway, 'while the other shoe is in its ineffective position and out of possiblev engagement with a circuit closer on the moving obJect.

It is a Well known fact that persons attimes Walkwalong and across the railroad.

tracks and this is particularly true of animals and in view of the particular devices .herein shown for the purpose of completing the circuit, it is deemednecessary to provide some means to prevent any possibility 'of the feet of persons or the hoofs of animals from being engaged therewith. Ve, therefore,

l provide, as stated previously, the pockets 3 for theA reception of the downturned ends of the shoes When the latterare in their lowermost positions. When so disposed and received 'in the pockets as mentioned, it Willbe appreciated that persons and animals lives -Will not be endangered by any possibility ofv engagement with the yends of these shoes.

The actuatinggdevices for the mechanism thus far described may be any Which will successfully perform the ofice, and as typical of one arrangement which will operate successfully in conjunction with the block v signal, We will describe that Ishown in the i signal operating mechanism thus far del jecting end- 7 of the shaft referred to, andl will be reversed, the-corresponding circuit.

scribed .may be moved by hand to reverse the position of parts, by merely lifting the -vveighted arm 15; but in the 'illustration We have shown one means for connecting said setting devices With the signal operating devices heretofore described by the use of reference letters. That is `to say, an upstanding arm 17 is rigidly mounted on the prothis is connected by a Wire 18 with the blocksignal Wire W as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. When the signal operator in his tower draws on the Wire W to set the signal-on the post P at danger, draft on the Wire W is imparted through the Wire 18 to the upstanding arm 17 with the result that the shaft .7 is

rocked in its bearings andthe weighted. Varm 15 is raised, so that the other shoe is elevated and the one now shown as raised is depressed. On .the contrary, when the block signal isset at safety, the .parts Will be restored to'their vnorinal position, the shoes closer on the moving object will loe-struck bythe raised. shoe, and a clear i signal Will be given to the engineer. In any event, howa signal to the engineer when he is passing a danger point such as a block signal.

In connection with the above-described signal operatingmechanism, and the actuat ing devices therefor, we make use of a checking signal whereby the operator With- `in the signal box may be notified when a lo-1 coniotive or train passes the post l?. As

herein shovvn this comprises a rather long and fiat bar 2O disposedyjust insideA one of the track rails where the flanges of the wheels will strike and depress it, said bar being supported at one end as at 21, free at -its other end, and guided vertically in its inovements'by an upright flange 22 forming part of a Water-tight box 23 mounted on and carried by the sleepers at about the mid? length of said bar; and depending from the latter through the top of this box is a terminal (not shown). Disposed Within the ever, it is our purpose to give some kind of box are spring terminals for coperation with the aforesaid terminal so as to com-- .plete a circuit between them.l These last.

named terminals are respectively connected with Wires 27 which are insulated from each other and mounted Within a small tube or pipe 2S that leads alongside' the trackto the .signal tower. Herein is adapted to be l0- cated a signal of any desiredcharacter. The length of the bar is such that atleast tWo of the trucks of the ordinary train or car must be constantly over it, and therefore when a train passes this device itl vcloses a circuit through the signal in the tower and informs the operator stationed there that the locomo- .tive has passed the ost I), so that he checks up its position anv y is then at liberty to change the signal at this point to indicate a clear block at one point and an occupied block at another point. In the act of'changing this signal, he alters the position of the shoes 1 and. 1 by the means above, described. rI his detailconstitutes part ofthe block sig naling mechanism, and We have shown and4 described it briefly in order that the completesystem which includes our improved signal operating'mechanism maybe understood.

What is claimed as new is: V A 1. Ina signal operating mechanism, the

' combination v'vith a plurality of rail ties and a 'pair of track rails mounted thereon; of shoes of elongated design operatively mounted on said ties immediately adjacent the rails, said shoes having downturned ends, means for lraising and lowering .said shoes to dispose the'same'to their operative and inoperative positions respectively, and plates secured to 'the upper faces of the end pairs of ties spanned by said shoes, saidplates being provided' with recessesl increasing in depth vtovvard one end thereof -to'form pockets for the reception of the downturned.

ends of the shoes vvhen the latter are dis tions of said pockets abutting the vside faces of .certain of said pairs of ties.

y 2. in a signal operating mechanism, the fmmbinationwith, a plurality of rail ties-and a pair of track rails mountedftheeon; of

mounted on said ties adjacent the'rais, said shoes having downturned ends, means for raising and owering'said shoes to dispose the saine to their operative and. inoperative positions7 respectively, plates secured to the y upper faceso toe end pairs of ties spanned 'bysaid shoes9 and pockets formed integral .with said plates to project therebeiow and increasing in depth towardone end. thereof v niza-ave furthe reception therein of the downturned end 'of the shoes, .the increasing `of said pockets in, depth at onel end thereof providling*shlo'uilers forabiitment against the in-v nerv side faces of the outer end ties to which said 'plates are secured. shoes of elongated design," cperativeiy y ln testimony whereof We have. hereuntoy .ing Witnesses.

Witnesses: l

CHAs. W. CLEMENT, JosniH Comics.`

feet nurl hands in presence of two' slibscrib 

